CAMBRIDGE, Ontario – The Institute of Food Processing Technology is officially open and ready to train students in the latest advances in food processing technologies.

The Honorable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), was on hand to commemorate the occasion at the School of Engineering and Information Technology, part of Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning.

"Our government is committed to helping southern Ontario's manufacturers be more competitive, adaptive and innovative," Goodyear said. "By supporting the Institute of Food Processing Technology, we are helping to ensure that our region's food processing and manufacturing sector has the skilled workforce it needs to grow and prosper."

FedDev Ontario's Prosperity Initiative contributed C$2.3 million. The funding allowed Conestoga to equip a new pilot plant with modern food processing lines that simulate real work environments. The program offers hands-on training in areas such as food safety, electronic instrumentation techniques, robotics, and plant supervision.